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Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon

Cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon made on the stovetop until the berries burst, then chilled into a thick, spoonable texture. Warm spices from cinnamon sticks and orange zest give it a fragrant, tangy finish that sets beautifully.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Cinnamon
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 0.05 tsp salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, water, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then keep it actively bubbling.
  2. Add the fresh cranberries and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the berries burst. Stir occasionally so the mixture thickens evenly and the skins soften.
Finish and chill
  1. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Let the sauce rest briefly off the burner so the zest tastes bright.
  2. Leave the cinnamon sticks in as it cools for extra spice, then remove. Watch for a glossy, thickened cranberry texture before you take them out.
  3. Chill the cranberry sauce before serving. It should set into a thick spoonable consistency when cold.

Notes

For the best texture, simmer just until most berries burst—overcooking can make it seem firmer than necessary. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 7 days. Freezing is yes: freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge. For a lower-sugar option, replace the sugar with an equal amount of a 1:1 baking sweetener designed for stovetop cooking.